


Camouflage

by elem (elem44)



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-10
Updated: 2017-06-10
Packaged: 2018-11-12 15:06:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11164401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elem44/pseuds/elem
Summary: Kathryn and Chakotay are on shore leave and encounter several obstacles and problems. Some of their own making.





	Camouflage

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DeltaS](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeltaS/gifts).



> This story is dedicated to DeltaS.
> 
> Happy Birthday (2008) my friend and thank you for the beautiful quilt. I’m still in awe and so grateful to you for your generosity. Hugs.
> 
> Oh, and thank you for the title too.
> 
> Thanks to Kat Lady and Pook for the betas.

Kathryn leant over towards her companion and hissed through gritted teeth. “Next time we upgrade, or better still, we beam.”

He gave her a weary but amused grin. “I don’t know what you’re complaining about. At least your knees aren’t up around your ears.” He wriggled and shifted, trying without much success, to find a more comfortable position for his long legs.

“Ouch!”

He looked at Kathryn and smiled apologetically. “Sorry.”

“Just watch what you’re doing with those elbows, Mister.” She was rubbing her arm. “God! Surely it can’t take much longer. It feels like we’ve been locked in this cattle car for hours.” She leant close again. “I’m so sick of being jostled and poked, and if that animal pecks me one more time, it’s on the menu for dinner. I swear I’m going to be bald as a badger before we even get to Pehringal.”

He grinned and looked over her shoulder at the offending bird. It was like a cross between a chicken and an oversized pigeon. It had taken a liking to Kathryn’s hair, and was plucking strands out at regular intervals. Chakotay had the feeling it was building a nest behind her seat. “We’ve only been travelling for an hour, Kathryn. It just seems longer. Whining doesn’t help.”

She shot him a withering look. “I’m the boss. I’m allowed to whine. Besides, this business of ‘immersing oneself in the local culture’ is all well and good, but there are limits and I’m at mine right about now.” She crossed her arms and sat back in a huff. It had all seemed like such a good idea when they started out this morning.

They were on Rhangora, a planet of diverse cultures and varying levels of technology. It was a warp capable society, but proudly boasted small enclaves of agrarian societies that maintained the ‘old ways’. Whilst within these enclaves they were asked not to openly use any advanced technology, so their combadges and tricorders were packed in their bags. They assumed there would not be much need for them in this predominantly rural community. No one had mentioned the man-eating birds though. What she wouldn’t give for a phaser right about now.

The whole thing had been his idea. Typical.

It was so hard to say no to him when he looked at her with those big puppy dog eyes. “Come on, Kathryn. You’ll love it. A day or two away from the sterile environs of starships and embassies – meeting the people, and immersing yourself in their culture. Come on, it’ll be fun.” He’d aimed those dimples at her with pinpoint accuracy and she’d had a devil of a time saying no. But she’d been strong and had waved him away. Then he’d brought out the big guns, and tossed over his shoulder as he walked away. “You’re probably right. You wouldn’t last a day, let alone two, away from all the modern conveniences. I see your point. I’ll catch up with you in a couple of days. Have fun with Neelix and the Ambassador.”

Next thing she knew she was being herded…yes, literally herded… onto a transport vehicle with all and sundry. There were more comfortable and luxurious modes of transport, but no, he’d wanted to mix with the people and get an unadulterated taste of Rhangoran culture. Turning to him now all she could think was that she’d had plenty enough culture, unadulterated or not, to last her a lifetime. This was the last time – _absolutely_ the last time, she let him talk her into one of his adventure holidays. They invariably became the stuff of nightmares. Why did she ever let him talk her into this?

He draped his arm around her at that moment and pulled her towards him to put some distance between her and the killer chicken and as she tucked herself up against him, she realised that this was the reason. She loved being with him… and being with him away from the ship and their responsibilities was an added bonus, man-eating chickens aside. She smiled to herself.

The transport itself resembled something between a train and a double-decker bus, but that was where any similarity to order ended. There were people hanging off the luggage racks, out of the windows and sitting three and four abreast on the double seats. To make matters worse they all seemed to have brought their livestock with them. There were animals that resembled pigs and goats, ducks and geese and far too many of the hair-pecking chicken-like beasts. The noise was unbelievable. A cacophony of bleats, snorts, and honks accompanied the deafening rumble of the transport’s engine. Every now and then, there would be a teeth-shattering screech from one of the man-eating chickens, which would almost lift Kathryn off her seat with fright. The only thing she could be grateful for was the fact that Chakotay seemed to be suffering just as much as she was. Even more, if you took into consideration that his legs were twice as long as the average Rhangoran’s and he had to sit with his knees tucked up uncomfortably under his arms. The trip to Pehringal, ‘a picturesque mountain village’, or so the brochure boasted, was supposed to take two and a half hours by transport, but that was a fairly rough estimate. It didn’t take into account the multitude of unscheduled stops they’d made on their trip so far. Lord alone knew when they would get there.

All of a sudden the transport shunted to an abrupt halt and they were all thrown forward unceremoniously into the seats in front.

“Owww! God damn!” Kathryn was rubbing her nose and checking it for damage. It had connected with the back of the head of the person in front.

Chakotay was groaning and rubbing his knees. He looked like he was in real pain. Hip joints probably weren’t supposed to bend quite that far or at that angle.

They both looked out the window.

“Where the hell are we?” Kathryn was trying to see past a couple of people’s backs and the business end of a goat like creature. She couldn’t really see what was happening, and just at that moment the bird from behind took a flying leap at her head and pecked her hard. That was it. Enough!

Kathryn grabbed Chakotay’s hand and hauled him out of his seat. “That’s it. I’ve had enough. We’re getting out of here. Now!”

He tripped and struggled out of his seat, trying to apologise for treading on toes and bumping into people, as he followed. “Ummm, Kathryn? Is it out of order to point out that we don’t know where ‘here’ is?”

“Yes. Move!”

He shrugged his shoulders and followed, mumbling, “You’re the boss.”

They all but fell out the door of the transport onto a dusty road and staggered to a stop. Chakotay turned around just in time to catch his pack as it was thrown from the roof of the vehicle. Kathryn wasn’t quite so fortunate and just as he uttered “Kath…..” She was hit in the back and knocked flying by her bag.

She landed face first in the dirt with an ‘ooomph’ and a loud “Shit!”

He had to bite his tongue to stop himself from laughing at the picture of her lying sprawled in the dirt with her pack on top of her. Before she’d even made an attempt to get to her feet, the transport dropped into gear and with a spray of dirt and dust, sped off into the distance.

Chakotay hauled the pack off her and helped her to her feet. She was covered in dirt and as she wiped her face and spat the grit from her mouth, he tried, not very successfully, to brush down her clothes. It took him a moment to realise she was standing as still as stone and he looked up to find her glaring at him, her eyes like glinting daggers. He blinked. No, not daggers, that was far too tame. More like phasers set to disintegrate. She was mad. Steaming mad and he was the obvious recipient of her wrath. He gave one last tentative brush at the dust that was stuck to the seat of her pants and then stood in front of her.

“Have you quite finished, Commander?” Her voice could have frozen warp plasma.

“Um, yeah. That’s about it.” He looked at her more closely. She was still covered in dust and had a bit of skin missing off her chin. He frowned and touched her chin gently with his thumb. “Are you alright, Kathryn? Are you hurt?”

She softened when she recognised his genuine concern. “No, I’m fine. It’s just my dignity that’s wounded. I’ll live.”

He dropped his pack and fished in one of the compartments for his medkit. Pulling out an antibacterial wipe, he took her chin in his hand and held her still while he wiped gently at the small graze. He was concentrating so diligently on his task that he didn’t notice her eyes widen. Pulling out the dermal regenerator he waved it over the wound and watched as the broken skin disappeared. When it was healed, he looked up into her eyes with a smile. “There we are. Good as new.” He noticed the shimmer in her eyes, but put it down to the sting of the antiseptic.

As he turned to put the kit back in his pack, Kathryn took a deep breath and blinked back her tears. Why did he have to do those sorts of things? She spent so much of her time trying to distance herself, maintaining the brittle wall of disinterest and then he goes and does something as unaffectedly kind and caring as that. It was all she could do to not throw herself into his arms. God, she loved him, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop, but she had to. Damn it. The tears pricked at her eyes again and she blinked frantically.

To divert his attention she brushed the last bits of dirt from her front, hoisted her pack on her back, and looked up the dirt road.

He hoisted his pack on his back as well. “Okay, which way do you think?”

He was busy scanning the terrain and didn’t notice her teary eyes. For this she was grateful. She so enjoyed his company and he seemed completely at ease with this comfortable companionship. Friends to the last. She was the one with the problem and although she’d been battling her feelings for years, they were just as stubborn as their owner and wouldn’t go away. She wished she could be like Chakotay and leave the yearning behind, and just have the uncomplicated friendship that he seemed to thrive on. It was pathetic, her inability to let go, and she was ashamed of herself. She lived in dreaded fear of accidentally letting it slip and causing them both severe embarrassment. Oh, he would be kind and thoughtful and would let her down as easily and graciously as possible, but she wouldn’t be able to live with the shame.

Suddenly realising he was still waiting for her to make a decision as to which way to go, she gave herself a shake and looked around her. “Well, Pehringal is in the mountains and …” she pointed up the hill. “That looks like the way to the mountains.” She looked sideways at him and gave a crooked smile. “You know, we could always contact the ship and ask for a beam out. It would be so much simpler.”

“No way, Kathryn. I’ve got a lot of rations riding on this trip.”

She frowned at him. “What do you mean?”

He heaved a sigh. ‘Well, Paris bet me two months worth that we would be calling for a beam out within the first twelve hours. We’ve only been gone two. We’d never live it down.”

“Paris, huh? Well there’s no way I’m going to let him get his grubby little paws on my rations.” Chakotay smiled, but didn’t point out the fact that the rations at risk were his, but he was quite taken with her proprietary attitude towards them. They may as well be hers. She spent her life borrowing them to maintain her toxic levels of caffeine.

She huffed out a breath and turned to him. “OK, Commander, we do it your way, but… things had better improve.”

He gave her a deadpan look and threw his arms out indicating their isolated situation. “Can they get much worse?”

Kathryn looked at him and rolled her eyes. “Come on, let’s get moving.”

If only they’d known how prophetic those words were to be.

* * *

Chakotay set off at a cracking pace and Kathryn had to almost jog to keep up. After a half an hour of scuttling along behind her First Officer, she called out. “OK. That’s it. Either you slow down or I’m calling Paris. What in God’s name is the rush? I thought we were supposed to be relaxing and taking in the sweeping vistas and pastoral charm, not racing at full throttle to the top of the damn hill. The only thing I’ve seen so far is your butt and my feet as they stumble along behind you.” He stopped abruptly and she ran into the back of him.

“Aaargh! Chakotay! A little warning, please.”

He turned to her, looking a bit peeved. “You asked me to stop.”

She put her hands on her hips and stuck out her chin. “No. I asked you to slow down. There is a difference, you know.” She adjusted her pack, hoisting it up higher on her shoulders. It was getting damned heavy. Chakotay started walking again, but a little slower this time. Kathryn plodded along behind, grumbling as she walked. “Men! Two speeds. Stop or go. What ever happened to velocity control? It would be nice to have a look around, but nooooo… we have to make it to the top of the God damned mountain in record time. Even if it kills us. Everything’s a damn race…..”

Chakotay had had just about enough and turned around sharply. “Shut up, Kathryn.”

She stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes wide with shock. “What did you say to me?”

He stood his ground. “I said, ‘shut up, Kathryn’. You heard me the first time.”

“Commander. How dare you…..”

“Oh, no. Don’t ‘Commander’ me. We’re on leave. You’re not my commanding officer down here. Remember?” She opened her mouth to protest, but he blustered on. “Your words, not mine. ‘While we’re away Chakotay, let’s leave the pips behind. Let’s just be two friends on holiday together, enjoying the scenery and the down time.’ Remember that? Well, I’m asking you as a friend to please stop the griping. This is difficult enough without having to listen to your constant grumbling. This is supposed to be fun.”

She was mad now. Fuming. She stood in front of him with her hands on her hips and barked at him. “Fun!? I beg your pardon. Did you say _fun_? You could have fooled me. I’ve been squashed, jostled, pecked, jabbed, trodden on, knocked flying, and had to practically run up a hill with my own body weight on my back….. So, tell me, when did the fun start? I must have missed that part. I’m hot, tired, and thirsty and my shoulders are aching. You call this fun? I mmmph…..”

The next thing she knew she was being kissed. Soundly kissed. Her eyes were still open in shock as she registered what was happening. Then as quickly as it started, he pulled his lips from hers and looked at her. She stared at him.

Her mouth was opening and closing like a landed fish. He gave her a quick nod, turned his back on her, and continued on his way.

She couldn’t believe it. He’d kissed her. She shook her head. He’d kissed her! _He’d kissed her!!_ This strange tingle started in her chest and then worked its way down her front and settled in her gut. He’d kissed her and then he’d walked away. He was a good fifteen metres ahead of her now but she couldn’t quite get her legs to work. Her knees had locked and she was worried that if she tried to take a step they might go from under her. Concentrating very hard on lifting her right leg she managed to move it forward, then her left leg, then her right again. After a few faltering steps she had a sort of rhythm going. She focused on the back of his head and trudged along behind him.

What the hell had that been about? She had an awful feeling that perhaps she didn’t really want to know. How could he have kissed her like that and then walked away. He’d kissed her, but it obviously meant nothing to him except as a means of silencing her tirade. It had worked. She couldn’t have uttered a word if her life depended upon it. Damn him! She felt those tears again. What a mean thing to do, to kiss a person, and then walk away. Did he have any idea what he’d done? She’d always imagined great and wondrous things for their first kiss. It would be romantic, and loving. A passionate moment to be cherished. She’d never imagined it as a gagging technique. Damn him. She felt cheated, angry, and very hurt. He thought so little of her that he would do that to her and then just walk away. She swallowed her tears grimly and walked on. Not looking left or right, she put her head down, and concentrating on her feet, turned her hurt into anger. A much more useful and manageable emotion.

Chakotay was cursing himself. With each step, he swore under his breath. “Fool, idiot, moron, shit! Imbecile, jackass, cretin, bonehead, stupid… Damn! Of all the….What the hell possessed you to do that? She’s going to kill you. Have you transported back to the ship and straight to the goddamned brig.” He didn’t know why he’d done it. She’d been standing there berating him, her eyes sparking, the sun shining on her hair making it look spun gold, her chest heaving and this impulse came over him and he’d just leapt forward and grabbed her. God damn it. Why the hell had he done it? He clenched his fists. He knew exactly why he’d done it. He adored her, and it was something he’d wanted to do for years. She’d looked so… Kathryn… standing there with her hands on her hips, tearing strips off him. He’d had no control.

How many times had he wanted to do that on the bridge or in the ready room when she was engaged in some tirade? There were times where he’d actually had to sit on his hands to stop himself from leaping up and sweeping her into his arms. Well, he’d done it now. He’d be lucky if she ever spoke to him again. Fuck! In that one instant he’d destroyed their friendship. What a damn fool. He knew she didn’t feel that way about him. She’d all but spelled it out to him that she would never consider a relationship with him, and he knew it wasn’t really because of regulations and protocols. He’d discarded those excuses years ago. She’d happily broken, bent, tortured, and trashed the regulations for years, so he saw her use of them as a convenient yet painless way of telling him that she didn’t love him. He could live with that, and he’d done so for almost six years, but now he’d gone and done it. Something that he’d sworn he’d never do. He’d overstepped the mark. Damn, damn, damn.

He really should check how she was. By the look on her face, she’d been stunned, or more to the point, horrified. He figured that the fact that he was still here on the planet and not clapped in irons in the brig was because she was still reeling from the shock. He waited for the hurricane to hit, and walked on for another five minutes, but the stress of waiting for the axe to fall was too much. Finally, he couldn’t stand it any longer. He stopped and turned.

She noticed that he’d stopped, but while she’d been walking, she’d worked up a full head of steam. Angry steam. How dare he? He’d ruined everything. Absolutely everything. She’d punch him if she thought she’d get away with it. Blind anger had taken over from the hurt and she wasn’t going to be easily mollified.

He frowned. She was walking about ten metres behind him. Trudging along with her head down, and she hadn’t seemed to notice that he’d stopped. She drew level with him and then just walked past. He continued to watch her as she plodded up the road ahead of him. Now he was really worried. This wasn’t the reaction he’d anticipated. He was still in one piece for a start. He’d expected to be torn to shreds, at least verbally, if not physically. A niggling feeling of unease took up residence in his middle, just behind his sternum. He tried to swallow to shift it, but to no avail, and as he watched her walk determinedly up the road, that feeling swelled and became full blown worry, bordering on panic. While he was standing there brooding she was gaining an impressive lead. He swung into action and jogged to catch up. As he pulled up level with her, he touched her arm gently. “Kathryn?”

She snatched her arm away and glared at him. Speaking through gritted teeth, she spat venom. “Don’t touch me, Commander.”

He stood stock still. If she’d phasered him, he couldn’t have been more shocked or hurt. The panic exploded in his chest and knocked the wind right out of him. It was a physical pain. His heart ached. For her, for him, for what he’d done, but most of all for what he’d destroyed. Angrily he swiped a tear from his cheek. Shit! What was he going to do? He probably should turn himself in. Contact Tuvok and explain what had happened before Kathryn did. That way, at least he could salvage a modicum of self-respect and lessen Kathryn’s involvement. Yes, that’s what he’d do. He dropped his pack and began ferreting around in the compartments looking for his combadge. With the crunch of pebbles, he looked up to see her standing beside him.

Her face was flushed with anger, and her eyes shimmered. “What the hell are you doing?”

There was no time or necessity for soft pedalling. “Looking for my combadge. I’m going to beam back to the ship and hand myself over to Tuvok.”

“ _What!?_ ” She almost screeched.

He looked up at her, shocked by her reaction. “Well, isn’t that what you’re going to do? I just thought I’d save you the trouble.”

She stared at him. Disbelief warred with anger but he could also see the glimmer of hurt in her eyes. “You were just going to leave me here? Beam out and leave me here?”

“No. I mean, yes…but…no, I … Oh shit. I don’t know what I was going to do. I’m sorry.” He stood in front of her and reached for her again, but her eyes flashed and he let his hand drop. “Kathryn, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I should never have done that. I have no idea why I did it. It was out of line. Way out of line and I’ll accept whatever punishment you deem appropriate.”

She stared at him for a long moment. Her look was unsettling, and one he couldn’t interpret. Then she blinked and the mask dropped into place. The look was gone.

Well, she thought, that was that. He didn’t know why he’d done it, so by his own admission it wasn’t because he cared about her. Enough said. Before the tears threatened again she screwed the lid tight on her emotions and hoisted her bag higher on her shoulders. “Forget it, Chakotay. Let’s just get on with this.” With that, she turned and began walking up the hill again.

He watched her go. That worrying niggle returned with a vengeance and he was haunted by the look he’d seen in her eyes. He lifted his pack onto his back and with a weary shake of his head he followed her up the hill.

Kathryn walked on with her head down. She’d noticed out of the corner of her eye that the surrounding countryside had changed. There were forests all around. It was really quite breathtaking and if she hadn’t been so preoccupied, she might have actually enjoyed looking at the dramatic scenery. As it was, she was troubled. Deeply troubled. His kiss had woken something in her she wasn’t sure she could put back to sleep. She’d tried to read him, to see if there was anything behind his apology, but it appeared there wasn’t. There was no doubt that he was genuinely sorry for what he’d done, but she had a feeling it was for completely different reasons to hers. She was as angry with herself as she was with him. Her musings sounded like the pathetic ramblings from some love starved melodramatic fool, but she could still feel the heat of his lips on hers and the jolt of electricity that had shot through her… God even now she could feel the tingles. She knew part of it was the unexpectedness of the kiss, but still, she’d been kissed before and it had never felt like that. As she trudged along, she couldn’t help thinking that with that kiss he may have just let loose a monster. The proverbial can of worms, a snake pit, a hornet’s nest, a….. What was this? Her mind had gone into metaphor overdrive. Yet another reason why being in love with her first officer was such a bad idea. She would just have to follow her own advice and forget it… slam the lid on that Pandora’s box ….. crap…. Not again with the metaphors. Walk, Kathryn. Just walk.

Chakotay trudged along a few paces behind her. Her demeanour didn’t invite idle chitchat. He could tell by the set of her shoulders that she was upset and he was deeply sorry for being the cause. Damn. He huffed out an irritated breath, and continued his silent march up the hill. They’d been walking for a good two hours now and all he’d thought of the whole time was ‘the kiss’. In his mind, it was lit up in neon lights. ‘The Kiss’. Although it probably should be called ‘The Only Kiss’, because the likelihood of it ever happening again were next to none. He’d be lucky if she ever spoke to him again, let alone allowed him to touch her. No more comforting hugs, no more holding her hand, or draping his arm over her shoulder. He cringed inwardly. The impropriety of the whole incident was appalling. He still couldn’t believe that he’d done it and he didn’t know how he was going to go about making it up to her. She wouldn’t trust him ever again, and he could just imagine how far he’d slipped in her estimation.

As they gained altitude, the countryside had changed around them. The denser undergrowth had given way to taller trees with a scattering of smaller flowering shrubs at their base. The scenery was really quite beautiful, but it was difficult to enjoy when his whole life was unravelling. To make matters worse he was hungry and thirsty too. It must be well past lunch by his guess. He pulled his chronometer from the pocket of his pack. 15:24 by their time and yes, well past lunch. They could both do with some food and water. The least he could do was take care of her. He took a deep breath. “Kathryn?”

She kept walking. He tried again a little louder. “Kathryn!”

Her head shot up and she stopped. She turned her head to the side, but didn’t look at him. “Kathryn, I think we should stop for something to eat. We haven’t had any lunch and I know I could do with the break.”

She gave a brisk nod and moved over to the side of the road, dropping her pack with a thud. Her neck was stiff and she rolled her head from side to side to loosen it, and stretched her back, in an attempt to straighten the kinks. The pack was damned heavy and her shoulders were killing her. She felt his presence beside her and heard the thud of his pack as it dropped on to the ground beside hers.

“Shall we find some shade?” He pointed towards some trees just off the roadway. “How about over there?”

She nodded and bent to pick up her pack but he beat her to it, and picking up both packs, moved over to the shaded area. After a few deep breaths, she followed. She’d gained some measure of control now and realised that if they were going to spend the next couple of days together she would just have to get past this morning’s incident.

He placed their packs on the ground and looked back at her. She gave him a half smile. “Thanks.” Then she began to rummage through her bag looking for her flask of coffee. She’d kill for one at the moment.

He pulled a food pack from his bag and opened it. There were sandwiches, biscuits and a flask of juice.

She still hadn’t found her coffee and her search was becoming frantic. Surely, Neelix had put some coffee in for her.

Chakotay dove into his pack again, pulled out an insulated flask and held it up for her with a smile. “Looking for this?”

Her eyes clamped onto what he was holding. “Thank God. I thought Neelix had forgotten.” She turned back to her bag. “I should have some in here too. Somewhere.”

“Have this one, Kathryn. We can look for yours later.” He unscrewed the top, poured some of the steaming brew into a mug, and handed it to her.

She accepted it gratefully and took a hearty sip. “Ahhhh. That’s good.” She licked her lips and took another sip. His eyes flashed as he watched her and she turned and caught his look. Something like worry flashed in her eyes and she took a step away. He groaned inwardly, but smiled and offered her a sandwich. She shook her head. “I’m right for the moment, thank you.”

He bit into one and watched her as she looked around at the forest and surrounding countryside. “It’s very beautiful here.”

He darted his eyes away as she turned back. “Hmmm. Yes. Very.”

Her shoulders sagged. She had to do something about this. They were awkward and uncomfortable now and that just wouldn’t do. They were grownups and should be able to deal with this. For God’s sake, she was a Starfleet captain and a trained negotiator. She would just have to look upon this incident as a delicate diplomatic situation that needed to be addressed objectively and maturely. Standing up straight she turned to the man she loved. Oh great, that thought helped not at all. She took another deep breath and in her most captainly tones, spoke. “Chakotay, I would like to forget about this morning’s incident and move on. I don’t want it to ruin our shore leave. Do you think we can do that?”

He stopped chewing and tried to swallow. It wasn’t an easy task. There was an uncomfortable lump in his throat and his mouth had gone dry. He had to hand it to her. Honestly, he thought she’d never speak to him again, but leave it to Kathryn Janeway to tackle each and every problem head on. Always the captain. It should have made him angry, but in truth, it just made him love her more. She was looking at him, waiting for an answer. He nodded. Not quite trusting his voice.

She was frowning and noticed the difficulty he was having. She offered him her coffee. He took it, taking a mouthful and then handed it back. It helped. “I can do that, Kathryn. I’m sorry.”

She shook her head and held up her hand. “Let’s not dwell on it, Chakotay. It’s finished with. Over.” There was steel in her voice as she gave the final command. “Understood?”

He nodded. “Yes, Cap…. Kathryn.” Shit!

Her head shot up at his slip and her eyes glinted with hurt. This time she swallowed noticeably and her voice was barely a whisper. “Good.” Turning her head away again, she sipped the rest of her coffee. Suddenly it had no taste, and she tossed the last dregs onto the ground and packed the mug away.

Chakotay was busily berating himself. How could he have done that? She was his best friend, for spirits sake. He could tell he’d hurt her feelings. Again. But how did he go about apologising without aggravating an already touchy situation? He took a deep breath, releasing it slowly, trying to gain some sense of equilibrium. He studied her profile. She looked tired.

He had an idea. “How about we rest here for a bit? I’m exhausted and could do with a sit down for a few minutes. What do you think, Kathryn?”

She nodded. “Hmmm. Okay.” She moved over to one of the trees and sat down with her back against the trunk, and closing her eyes, pretended to relax.

Chakotay sat beside her and did the same. He could feel the tension radiating from her, but didn’t know what to do. He cursed himself again.

It wasn’t ten minutes later that he heard her stand and move away. He watched her through half closed eyes.

She couldn’t relax and pretending to rest wasn’t doing her any good. Trying not to disturb him, she got to her feet and moved further into the forest. It really was a beautiful place. The trees reminded her of the old pine forests she’d seen on the European continent many years ago. Minimal undergrowth and brown straight trunks as far as the eye could see. She took a few deep breaths. His use of her title had hurt.

It was just another reminder of the gulf between them and the difference between what she was and what she wanted to be. No, that wasn’t really true. She loved being Captain, but she also loved being Kathryn, and Chakotay was really the only person who ever saw that side of her. Maybe that was what had upset her so much. It seemed that deep down he only saw her as ‘the Captain’ as well. No wonder the kiss had meant nothing to him. Well, it was hardly surprising. She wore her captaincy like an impenetrable shield. It seemed that things were worse than she thought and it was well past time that she looked at finding some balance between the position and the person. She stared ahead sightlessly and made a decision. The captain was going into mothballs for the rest of this trip. Kathryn was going to retrieve what they’d lost. She hung her head, marshalling all her determination, and then turned. Chakotay was sitting watching her. She gave him a small smile and marched back over to her pack.

“Ready to go? We should keep moving. With luck we’ll get to Pehringal before dark.”

He nodded. “Here.” Lifting her pack, he helped her shrug it over her shoulders. He rested his hand on her arm for a moment. She looked at his hand and then up at him with clear blue eyes. She patted his hand, and his heart leapt. “Thank you, Kathryn.” They held each other’s gaze for a few unsteady heartbeats, before tearing their eyes away from one another and looking up the road. Chakotay stepped away from her and hoisted his bag on his back. “It shouldn’t be too much farther but if we don’t make it, we can always camp on the side of the road. If worse comes to worse we do have tents and sleeping bags.”

She gave a derisive snort. “I think I’ve got the kitchen sink in my pack, it’s that damned heavy.”

He smiled. “I can carry some of your gear if you like, Kathryn.”

She gave him a sideways look. “No thanks. I’ll manage…..But speak to me again in a few hours. I might have changed my mind then.”

God, he loved this woman. She’d obviously decided to move past the incident from this morning and he was deeply grateful and determined to make it up to her.

They walked back to the road and began the steady climb towards the mountains.

* * *

Chakotay guessed it was about two hours later when suddenly their world plunged into darkness. Rhangora, they discovered, has no twilight. They’d been standing on a small bluff admiring the sunset over the valley, when the sun dipped below the horizon. Bang… darkness. One moment they were ooing and ahhing at the melange of colours dancing across the horizon and the next they were staring at stars and surrounded by night.

Kathryn found her SIM beacon and strapped it to her wrist. Chakotay followed suit and they looked at one another in the glow of synthetic light. Kathryn shone her wrist light around in a wide arc. “Well, that puts pay to getting to Pehringal tonight. We’ll have to set up camp.”

Chakotay picked up both packs. “There was a flat grassy area about fifty metres behind us. It should do for tonight.”

“Here, give me back my pack then you can shine your light as well. We don’t want to have any stupid accidents in the dark.” Chakotay reluctantly passed her the pack and shoulder to shoulder they made their way back to the clearing.”

After a rummage, they found their tents and sleeping bags and once they were pitched, they set about organising a fire to ward off the chilly night air. As the sun had gone down, so had the temperature and it was now quite cold. After the fire was set, next came the thrill of deciding which vacuum packed meal they were going to ‘enjoy’.

Kathryn screwed up her nose. “I get to choose between the Chicken Cacciatore and the Sausage Casserole but I think your decision is made for you. There’s Spicy Vegetable pasta or Spicy Vegetable pasta.”

Chakotay chuckled. “I think I’ll have the Spicy Vegetable pasta.” Kathryn passed him the foil packet. “Thank you, Kathryn.” She nodded.

They still weren’t back to the carefree and easy camaraderie that they were used to, and if Kathryn was honest with herself, she was still deeply hurt by the whole incident and as much as she was trying to move past it, it was going to take time to get over the feeling of betrayal. It was so stupid. She’d wanted to kiss him for years and she’d spent much of the day arguing with her inner self. One part of her was telling her it was no big deal. Friends kiss. It didn’t have to mean anything. She’d let Kashyk kiss her. Michael and Jaffen had kissed her. To steal a phrase from her favourite Borg, it was irrelevant. But then another part of her, the one she’d now labelled the ‘evil part’, had argued that this was Chakotay, the man she loved and had loved for years. She’d yearned for his kisses, fantasised about them, dreamed of them and that harsh locking of lips had been such a far cry from her imaginings that she was wounded with disappointment and couldn’t seem to get past it.

Chakotay watched her as she frowned into the fire. She was putting on a brave face, but he knew she was still upset by this morning’s incident. He was torn. Did he speak of it again, and open the wound, or did he just leave it alone and hope that things improved. There was no one in this universe who could discompose him as quickly and as profoundly as Kathryn Janeway and he was heartbroken to think that he was the cause of her disquiet.

They ate their meals in silence, both of them staring into the warm glow of the fire. If only they’d known that their thoughts weren’t all that dissimilar. Both were thinking of the kiss.

They’d finished their meals and Kathryn had shown great restraint by limiting herself to one small cup of coffee. She needed to keep some for the morning. The fire was comforting, and warded off the chill night air, but they were still a little ill at ease with one another. Any other time they would have sat and chatted about all and sundry, but tonight that was off the agenda. To curtail the uncomfortable silence, Chakotay thought that an early night would be a good idea.

“Kathryn, it would probably be wise to get an early night. I have a feeling that sunrise will be just as abrupt as nightfall and we don’t know what time the sun comes up here.”

“Yes, you’re probably right. I’ll see you in the morning. Sleep well, Chakotay.”

“You too, Kathryn. Good night.” He’d watched until she disappeared into her tent and was zipped up tight. He doused the fire and moved to his tent. He glanced quickly over at hers before he climbed through the opening and zipped himself in.

It took him a long time to get to sleep. He lay and stared at the roof of his tent as the day replayed in his mind. Finally, he rolled over and pummelled his inflata-pillow a few times until there was a dull pop and it went flat. He groaned. That was just typical. He shuffled around and found some clothes that he bundled up into a makeshift pillow. It was uncomfortable, but he deserved no better. Finally, after hours of berating himself, he fell into a restless sleep.

Kathryn could hear him tossing and turning in his tent. It seemed he was just as upset as she was over the day’s events. She was still a little hurt by it all, but she was tough and would get over it. He was her best friend and they would get past this, she was sure. Their relationship, both personal and professional, was too important for them not to. She snuggled into her sleeping bag and resolved to have a better day tomorrow.

Chakotay had been right about the sunrise. One minute it had been dark and the next, blinding daylight. He opened bleary eyes and scrabbled around to find his chronometer. It was only 05:30.

Sitting up, he rolled his head and stretched. His ‘pillow’ had left him with a stiff neck and sore shoulders. Looking at the ruined inflata-pillow, he rolled his eyes. That would teach him. He listened for a moment, but there were no sounds from outside. Hopefully, Kathryn was still asleep. As quietly as he could, he unzipped his tent and crawled out. He stood and surveyed their surroundings. It really was the most beautiful spot. They were surrounded by the same tall trees, but the edge of the clearing was dotted with exotically coloured shrubs. Colourful insects flitted from flower to flower and the morning sun warmed the ground, melting away the early morning chill. He moved into the copse of trees to gather some more firewood. The idea was to have a roaring fire and breakfast ready for Kathryn before she woke. He was determined to redeem himself and make the next day and a half of their leave as enjoyable as he could.

On his wanderings he found a small brook that trickled down over rocks in a series of small cascades. There were several small pools, each one surrounded by the flowering shrubs and soft ferns. He would have to bring Kathryn here. She’d love this. Following it to the edge of the bluff he stood and watched as the water toppled over into the valley below. He wandered along its banks for a time before making his way back to camp.

It was about an hour later that Kathryn emerged from her tent. She was a bit rumpled and tousled, but she’d slept quite well. Chakotay looked up from the fire and smiled warmly. “Good morning, Kathryn. Did you sleep well?”

She yawned and stretched making a strange growling noise. Chakotay laughed. “I’ll take that as a yes. Coffee?”

She gave him a withering look and held out her hand. “You need to ask?”

Laughing, he handed her a cup and indicated a log near the fire for her to sit on. Holding the mug between her hands, she took a couple of grateful sips as she wriggled into a comfortable position on her log and watched Chakotay as he heated their breakfast. With a flourish, he handed her a plate. “Your eggs Benedict and asparagus, Madame.” Her eyes opened wide and then she frowned as she looked at the contents. He shrugged. “Its ration pack number five, stewed tomatoes and dehydrated eggs. Just close your eyes and pretend.”

She gave him a dour look. “My imagination isn’t that good. But thank you.”

He smiled and picked up his bowl of oatmeal.

Kathryn looked around her as she ate. “What a beautiful place. It looks almost magical. I wonder if fairies live here.”

He almost choked on his food. “Kathryn Janeway, the scientist and sceptic, believes in fairies? I’m amazed.”

Giving him a sideways glance, she brandished her fork. “Just watch it, mister. They’ll hear you and put a spell on you.” He blinked slowly then smiled and put his hands up in surrender as she continued scanning their surrounds. As he watched her, he thought to himself that the fairies were too late. He was already under Kathryn’s spell. If only she knew.

Kathryn could feel his eyes on her as she looked around the clearing. She let her face soften and heard him exhale. Today would be a good day.

The clearing truly was beautiful. The tall trees, the pretty shrubs, the soft grass, and the dappled sunlight coming through branches gave it an air of enchantment. She would remember this place. Looking back towards him her eyes met his and he gave her a small, slightly sad smile. It struck a chord and that flutter started in her chest. She knew what he was doing. Remorse after yesterday’s disaster was driving him to try to redeem himself. He was a good man, the best, and he cared enough to try to put things to rights. Today would definitely be a good day.

They finished their breakfast and packed up their tents ready to start off on the rest of their trek to the… she hoped… wondrous city of Pehringal.

Kathryn ran her fingers through her hair and looked at Chakotay. “I could do with washing my face and tidying up a bit. Is there any water close by, do you think?”

“Yes, there is. I was going to show you before we left. I found it this morning when I was looking for wood. It’s this way.”

They left their packs in the clearing and set off through the trees. He led the way and as he was walking, he spoke over his shoulder. “Don’t step on any toadstools. They might be fairy houses.”

She smacked his shoulder and mumbled something that sounded like, “smartarse” under her breath. He laughed. It was the first time she’d spontaneously touched him since yesterday and even though it was only a playful hit, it was something. He had it bad. Bad enough to consider a slap a touch. He shook his head, but smiled to himself.

They could hear the burble of the brook before they could see it. Chakotay stood aside and ushered Kathryn through the veil of trees. As she stepped through the opening, she sighed. “Oh, Chakotay. Isn’t it beautiful? This whole area is like something out of a picture book.”

After taking in the scenery, they both knelt by the water and washed their faces. Kathryn pulled a comb from her pocket and tidied her hair. Chakotay just slicked his back by running his damp hands through it. She darted her eyes away when he caught her watching.

Once their morning ablutions were taken care of, they meandered back towards the clearing. As they got closer, Chakotay put his hand out to stop Kathryn. There were voices coming from up ahead. They sounded edgy and frantic, and there was just something about it that set Chakotay on the alert. They both hunkered down and moved forward; reaching the edge of the clearing just in time to see three Rhangorans running off with their packs.

Chakotay let out a banshee yell and they both took off after the thieves. The Rhangorans took one look at them and sprinted off into the forest. They had a healthy lead but Chakotay was gaining. Kathryn could see the road ahead and the outline of some sort of vehicle. The thieves were yelling at whoever was in the truck and she saw a puff of exhaust as it started up. It was no use. She and Chakotay were too far away. The Rhangorans tossed the packs in the back of the vehicle then threw themselves in after them as the truck sped off down the road.

Kathryn burst out of the woods to see Chakotay a fifty or so metres up the dirt road, bent over trying to catch his breath as he watched the truck full of laughing Rhangorans disappear into the distance. She jogged up beside him. “Are you alright?”

“No!” Fear stabbed at her and she grabbed his arm to turn him towards her. Seeing her worried face, he shook his head. “Sorry. Yes, I’m fine. I’m just angry. What a stupid thing to happen. We’ve lost the lot. You don’t happen to have your combadge on you by any chance?”

Kathryn shook her head. They’d been keeping them in their packs, but she should have thought to wear it under her jacket. She was kicking herself now but she’d been trying to keep in the spirit of the trip. Damn. That would teach her.

She looked back down the road. There was nothing in sight. They would just have to hoof it. Surely Pehringal couldn’t be too much further up the road. If they were lucky, they might even be able to track down some of their belongings. She imagined they would be sold on the black market in saloons or seedy back streets. Those would be a good places to start their search anyway.

She turned back to Chakotay. He was still spitting mad, but had caught his breath. She nodded up the road. “Come on. We’ll catch up with them eventually. Remember, it was your idea to immerse yourself in their culture.”

He gave her a sour look. “Yeah, well we’re wading knee deep in it now, aren’t we? And its not culture I’m thinking of.”

Her lips twitched. It amused her to see him so put out. He was usually so unruffled. She gave him a sideways glance. “Yes, we’re well and truly _immersed._ ”

She touched his arm and his head snapped around. He took a moment to look at her and realised that she wasn’t angry. In fact, she looked rather smug. He had a feeling that she wasn’t going to be looking so smug when night fell and the cool of the evening hit. They were going to get very cold, hungry, and thirsty before the day was out. He took a deep breath and centred himself.

“Okay. After you, Kathryn.”

“Should we sing something to make the time go faster?”

He gave her an exasperated look. What was it with this woman? Wherever she went disaster seemed to follow and if he didn’t know better it looked like she was enjoying herself. He’d never understand her.

He grouched at her. “I think our singing is likely to have the opposite effect, not to mention that it’ll scare all the wildlife. Why don’t we just talk about what we’re going to do with these… people who stole our gear when we finally catch up with them? I’m thinking, tied naked on an ant’s nest, if Rhangora has the equivalent.”

Kathryn stared at him. “That seems…” She screwed up her face, “…fitting.” Then she pretended to think for a moment. “I know. We could invite them to Voyager for a meal. Leola Root Surprise Night seems like an adequate punishment.”

Chakotay barked out a laugh and turned to her. “A fate worse than death. I think that’s very appropriate. Tuvok could serenade their meal with a few hundred stanzas of Vulcan poetry. That should be uplifting.”

It was Kathryn’s turn to chuckle. “Oh, that’s cruel and unusual punishment, Chakotay. I’m sure that’s a violation of the rights of prisoners of war.”

“So we’re at war now. That was quick.”

“Well, I don’t like to dilly dally. If I’m going to become the next ruler of the universe, Rhangora seems like a good place to start. Besides I’ll have all the fairies on my side.”

“The Fairy Queen, huh? I thought you were already Queen of the Spider People. How many thrones do you have, Kathryn?”

She gave him an imperious look. “One can never have too many thrones.”

He laughed again. “Well, three should be enough for even you.”

“Three?”

He counted them off on his fingers. “Uh huh. Arachnia’s throne, a toadstool for the Fairy Queen, and the captain’s chair.”

Kathryn joined his laughing. Now she was having fun. This was how it should always be. “Ah. Yes, I can see that. Her Majesty Captain Janeway. With all my serfs and minions scurrying about. And what does that make you, Chakotay? The Queen’s consort?”

Oh my God! She realised what she’d said the nanosecond it left her mouth, but it was too late. It was out there now. In the ether. This was what she’d feared for so long. She’d slipped up. Big time. She shot a quick glance at him to see if he’d noticed. He was still smiling but seemed to be concentrating on the road ahead. She breathed a sigh of relief that almost became a scream when he answered.

Turning to her, he stared into her eyes. His look was gentle and kind, and dare she say, loving. “I’ll be whatever you want me to be, Kathryn.”

She was all a dither now. What she wanted him to be? Now there was an invitation, but it couldn’t be. It nearly killed her but she answered in a steady voice. “The best friend and best first officer in the galaxy. No, make that the Universe.”

He gave her a sad smile. “That’ll have to do.” But she had the distinct feeling that the words ‘for now’ had been left off the end of that sentence. Her insides flip flopped, but after yesterday, both were treading very carefully. Neither wanted to over step the boundaries.

He did the gentlemanly thing and offered his crooked elbow. “Here we go, Your Majesty. Your subjects await.”

Grateful to him for again letting her off the hook, she slid her hand under his arm and together they marched up the road. But under her jocular façade, she felt like crying.

Three hours later, just as the sun was starting to really sear and burn, they heard a rumbling sound from behind them. A flat bedded wagon of some sort came trundling up the hill. It was being drawn by two thick set beasts that resembled large long snouted pigs. A rather gruff and scruffy looking individual was flicking the animals with a twitch to keep them moving. Kathryn turned to Chakotay and he shrugged. It beat walking.

Kathryn stood in the middle of the road and waved her arms. The disgruntled looking Rhangoran pulled hard on the reins and the giant pigs came to a halt. Without their combadges, they couldn’t communicate so with some rather overt gesticulating, they finally convinced him of their predicament and a few minutes later, they were sitting side by side on the tray of the wagon with their legs dangling over the edge as they bumped and ground their way towards Pehringal.

Kathryn moved to the side, resting her head against the side of the wagon, and watched the rough ground slide away under the wheels of their transport. It was a relief to be off her feet, but they still had no idea how long it would take them to get to the city.

The wagon hit a deep rut in the road and her head banged against the side of the cart. “Yowch! Damn.”

She rubbed the side of her head and turned to find Chakotay smiling at her sympathetically. She could see he was battling with himself and decided to put him out of his misery. He had a very comfortable shoulder and she was tired. “If you scoot over there a bit, Chakotay, I could use your shoulder instead.”

“Is this the queen asking one of her minions?”

Kathryn smiled warmly. “No, this is Kathryn asking her dear friend Chakotay if he wouldn’t mind letting her rest her weary head on his shoulder.”

She saw his eyes shine with warmth as he swung his legs up into the cart and leant against the side of the wagon. She shifted over to his side and he pulled her close and spoke quietly. “In that case, make yourself at home.”

She dropped her head onto his shoulder and he draped his arm around her. “Thank you, Chakotay.” Kathryn thought that his mention of home was very apt. That’s exactly what it felt like.

It was good to be close to him again and she was so glad that the awkwardness of yesterday seemed to have passed. She closed her eyes and with the steady rocking of the wagon, and his warm body next to her, she fell into a dreamless sleep. She awoke with a jolt at the sound of a horn blasting and sat up just in time to see the town of Pehringal come into view. It was the most wonderful sight and Kathryn heaved a sigh.

Chakotay reluctantly pulled his arm from her shoulder and looked around. Their driver had pulled into what looked like a bustling market place. It was filled with stalls of produce, livestock, and other arts and crafts. Their disgruntled driver shooed them off the back of the wagon and their thanks were brushed aside as he began an argument with one of the stallholders over a large box of purple carrots.

Chakotay took Kathryn’s arm and they pushed their way through the throng to a quiet side street and took stock of their situation. “Well, we’re here at last. Damn, I’m thirsty though.”

Kathryn nodded. “Me too.”

They looked around. The market was filled with people, most of them Rhangoran, but there was a smattering of off-world species as well. It was a fairly drab affair. Most of the crowd were wearing dark and dreary clothes and full length grey cloaks. They all looked like miserable monks. So far, Kathryn hadn’t seen anything that could be described at picturesque. She had the distinct feeling they’d been had.

Chakotay grabbed Kathryn’s hand, interrupting her thoughts. “Over here.” He moved out into the market place again, then letting go of her hand, climbed up on a stone seat and looked around. “It looks like there’s a drinking fountain not far from here.”

Kathryn was relieved. They made their way to the water and drank their fill, then sat on the raised stone coping and assessed their situation. Kathryn swept her hair out of her eyes. “We have to find someone in authority and get our hands on a subspace transmitter. I’d also like to find our missing packs.”

“I agree about trying to get a message to Voyager, but I don’t like our chances of finding our packs. They’d have been pulled apart and sold off by now. We’ll be able to beam our combadges back later, but the rest of the gear would be long gone.”

“You’re probably right. Okay, first priority is to get something to eat, I’m famished.”

He huffed out a laugh. “I don’t believe it. You can go for days without food on Voyager and have to be nagged, and cajoled into eating the most meagre amount of sustenance. And now you’re famished?”

She shrugged. “Must be the open air, but I tell you, I could do damage to one of those.” She was pointing at a creation on the counter of what Chakotay decided was a cake stall. It looked something like a fruit flan, except that the ‘fruit’ was a mix of the most garish colours. It looked like someone had cooked up a packet of crayons. There were several of them stacked on the counter and although they were gaudy, they looked rather delectable. He could feel his stomach rumbling.

“I hate to break it to you, but we have no money and nothing to barter.”

Kathryn slapped her pockets and with a grin pulled out her comb. “Here we are. I bet the Rhangorans have never seen one of these before.”

Chakotay looked around. By the look of the matted messes that topped most of the townsfolk’s heads, he had to agree. But he took a moment to wonder if introducing a species to the delights of personal grooming wasn’t in some way contra to the ideals of the Prime Directive. He turned to Kathryn to ask what she thought, but she was already at the stall, gesticulating wildly as she negotiated for the crayon cake.

He smiled as he watched her work her magic. He’d bet there wasn’t a soul in the galaxy that she couldn’t charm if she put her mind to it. He almost laughed at the charade. First, she mussed her hair and then used the comb to show the stall owner the magic it could perform. A small crowd had gathered to watch. She momentarily disappeared from view and the next thing he knew she was standing beside him sporting a huge grin and carrying a bag containing a loaf of nutty bread and two of the fruit flans. “Lunch?”

He shook his head and smiled. “There’s no stopping you, is there?” She raised her eyebrows and he just laughed. She took his arm. “Come on, this way. I’m hungry.”

They wended their way through the crowd until they found a quiet spot, and sitting in the shade of a large tree, they ate their fare. Tearing chunks off the bread, they munched happily. It was delicious. They saved half of the loaf in case they needed it for dinner then shared one of the fruit flans putting the other aside for dessert tonight. Kathryn licked her fingers and made a satisfied groan. “That was delicious. I don’t know if I was just very hungry or if my taste buds have been tortured for so long that anything without Leola root tastes like manna from heaven.”

Chakotay chuckled. “I think it’s the latter, but I promise not to breathe a word to Neelix.”

They put their remaining food back in the bag and stood. Kathryn scanned the street. “We need to find the local authorities and try and get word to Voyager. Which way do you think?”

Chakotay shrugged. “We could head back to the market and ask someone.”

She curled her lip. “That’s not going to be as easy as it sounds. We don’t have any combadges, remember, and in all the hustle and bustle it’ll be difficult to make ourselves understood. I think we should head in that direction.” She pointed up the hill. “It looks like there are some bigger buildings up there. The council chambers and mayor, or their equivalent, are possibly up there.”

It seemed like as good a bet as any. Chakotay swept his hand in front of him, ushering her forward and together they walked up the wide boulevard hoping to find someone to help them.

After a couple of hours of searching, they were no closer to finding anything or anyone who looked even vaguely like they were in charge. As they’d travelled, what had begun as broad tree lined boulevards had slowly deteriorated into soulless streets lined by non descript houses. Then as they moved further into the city these soulless streets became dark and narrow cobblestone laneways that meandered past tumbledown buildings. They were obviously in the seedier part of town. The dark doorways and blind alleys made them both uneasy and to make matters worse, the sun was about to go down and the chill of the evening was setting in. Chakotay had the feeling that unseen eyes were watching so he moved closer to Kathryn’s side and began to warily watch around them.

“This is no use, Chakotay. We’re not going to find what we’re looking for around here. I’m freezing and I think we’re getting close to being lost.”

The narrow alleys and laneways had twisted and turned and Kathryn had the feeling that if they wanted to find their way out of here they would be hard pressed at this point. They’d been wandering these narrow streets for well over an hour and had long ago lost their sense of direction.

Chakotay could feel Kathryn shivering and just when he thought things couldn’t get worse, the sun set, plunging them into darkness. Streetlights sputtered to life, giving off a sickly yellow glow that did very little to light their way and just made the shadows seem deeper and more sinister.

They stood under one of the street lamps to get their bearings. Kathryn was rubbing her arms to try to stave off the chill. Chakotay stilled her hands for a moment. “Can you hear that?” Chakotay could hear the faint sound of distant laughter and music coming from somewhere. He took Kathryn’s arm and steered her in the direction of the noise. “It sounds like a bar or saloon.”

Kathryn tucked herself up against his warm body and they honed in on the sounds of life. They passed several couples tucked into doorways and in the shadowed alleyways. Both Kathryn and Chakotay tried to avoid thinking about what they were doing. The shadowy figures were all draped in the dark cloaks and blended into the background. This was definitely not the most salubrious part of town.

They rounded a corner and there in front of them were a couple of dimly lit windows with the fuzzy silhouettes of people behind them. A rickety shingle hung above the door and Chakotay looked at her for affirmation. Kathryn nodded. “At the very least it’ll be warm.”

Chakotay pushed open the heavy door and they stepped inside. The noise and the smell hit them like a phaser blast. Loud pulsing music and the harsh smell of unwashed bodies and stale liqour hazed through the air. It was a bar alright, but not the sort of establishment they were used to frequenting. The music accompanied a rather grotesque looking female dancing naked on the bar. The clientele left much to be desired in the hygiene department and looked like a belligerent bunch.

Like in one of Tom’s old westerns, the bar quieted as they entered and all the patrons turned to stare at the newcomers. Kathryn looked around the room warily and noticed that she was the only woman in there, apart from the ‘entertainment’. The silence hung in the air for several minutes but eventually the woman on the bar regained most of the clientele’s attention and the hubbub began again. Kathryn and Chakotay moved to a table not too far from the door. Their training had kicked in and both knew it was important in situations like this to be able to make a quick get away if necessary. The barkeep was eyeing them from behind the bar. He seemed oblivious to the gyrating woman in front of him and Kathryn didn’t like the look of him at all.

Chakotay looked around the bar with narrowed eyes. He noted where everyone was situated and calculated the quickest avenue of escape. The door was only a few metres to their left and next to it, a dozen or more cloaks hung waiting for their owners.

Kathryn sat close to him watching the men watch her and she could feel the apprehension radiating off Chakotay in waves. The animosity of the crowd was tangible, and she knew they were in danger.

A drunken, toothless Rhangoran blundered into their table. He leaned over and coughed fetid breath into Kathryn’s face. She gave him a steely glare as his unfocused eyes wandered over her body. Chakotay moved forward threateningly. The drunk had the good sense to leave but shoved their table angrily as he staggered away cursing. Chakotay whispered in her ear. “We’ve got to get out of here. I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

She looked at him, rolling her eyes, and whispered back. “No kidding.”

He gave her a look and then indicated with a jerk of his head that they should move towards the door.

Although none of the patrons were looking at them directly, Chakotay’s inbuilt warning system was screaming at him. He pushed Kathryn to the edge of the bench and taking her arm they both stood slowly. It was like trying to manoeuvre away from wild animals. If they didn’t make any sudden moves, maybe they could get away unscathed. Just as they neared the door, their drunken friend staggered again and fell against a table, upsetting it. Drinks and food went everywhere. There was a barrage of loud cursing and then the pushing and shoving began. Kathryn let out a grunt. Someone made a grab for her and she shoved them hard as they tried to pull her from Chakotay’s grip. He wrapped his arm around her as the ugly crowd began to press forward. The door was only feet away but they needed a distraction. With an almighty kick, Chakotay booted the nearest table sending it sailing towards their attackers. A roar went up and the angry mob threw themselves towards them. But it had given them the few seconds they needed and Kathryn and Chakotay made a dive for the door.

Pulling it open, Chakotay shoved Kathryn outside, grabbed two of the dark cloaks from the pegs by the door and dove out after her. He pulled and held the door shut while Kathryn found a piece of old timber and wedged it under the handle. Chakotay tossed a cloak to her and she draped it over her shoulders as they took off at a run into the night.

They were only a hundred metres down the road when they heard the clatter of feet and angry voices coming up behind them. Kathryn was looking left and right trying to find a way out and hoping to avoid getting stuck in one of the dead ends. Suddenly Chakotay grabbed her arm and yanked her into one of the darkened alleys. As he dragged her down the filthy alleyway, Kathryn looked into the darkness and could see the shapes of several couples up against the walls and hidden in alcoves. The tramping of feet was getting closer. When they were close to the end of the alley Chakotay stopped and looked into her eyes. In the dim lighting, she had difficulty reading his look, but his eyes glinted with an unnerving intensity. He whispered urgently to her. “Pull your hood up.” She dragged the smelly material over her head as he flicked his hood over his head. He took her in his arms and held her close. “I’m sorry, Kathryn.”

She was confused for a moment and then he wrapped his cloak around them both and pushed her up against the wall. He pulled her head tight into the crook of his shoulder as he peeked through the raised corner of his hood to see what their pursuers were doing.

She pushed against him and hissed into his ear. “What the hell are you doing? Let me go.”

He held her tighter and hissed back at her. “For God’s sake, shut up, Kathryn. Just do as I do. Pretend.”

Do as he did? Pretend what? God, what the hell was he talking about? All she knew was that his body was flush against hers and they were so close that she could feel the rapid beat of his heart against her breast. The danger had heightened her senses and she was acutely attuned to the sound of the approaching feet but her senses were also assailed by Chakotay’s spicy scent and the heat of his body. The lovers, a few metres away, were groaning and grunting and without thinking, her hands stole around him and pulled him closer. She felt his body stiffen but she wasn’t sure if it was her proximity or the fact that their pursuers had moved closer. She didn’t dare look. Her pale face would show up like a beacon even in this dim light. She burrowed deeper into his shoulder, her panting breaths only partly caused by fear.

Chakotay pressed her into the rough stone wall. He was frantic in his need to protect her and this was the only way he could think to avoid a confrontation with the angry mob. They were vastly outnumbered and it could only end badly. Hiding was the only option and if the drunken mob were as unintelligent as they looked, hiding in plain sight was something they wouldn’t expect. With his arms around her, and wrapped in his cloak, he tried to blend into the background but it was hard to concentrate when she was so close. He could feel her breath hot against the skin of his neck and her soft pliant body moulded to his. He was trying to keep an eye on the thugs and gauge if they needed to make another run for it. Adrenalin was surging and his senses were intensified to a point where noises and scents were overwhelming. He could hear their pursuer’s footsteps heading their way. Gathering her to him, he moved further into the shadows. All the other couples were completely oblivious to what was going on around them, and if he and Kathryn behaved differently it could be suicide. The grunting and groaning from the pair next to them was difficult to ignore. He felt the hair stand up on the back of his neck.

Someone was close. He had to do it. He grabbed her under her buttocks and hoisted her up then slammed his mouth on hers.

It took a second or two for it to register with Kathryn. He was doing it again. He was kissing her. Kissing her hard. His closed lips pressed firmly over her closed lips. Her instinct was to pull away and she made a move to do so, but he jerked her close and grunted. She heard the scuffling of feet and then she realised why he was doing this. Camouflage. Oh God, what a way to hide. She’d grunted as he’d lifted her and she now had her legs wrapped around him just above his hips. She was spread wide and there was nothing she could do to hide the telltale heat from her centre warming his lower abdomen.

As he hoisted her higher, she gasped and her mouth opened under his. She felt his lips soften and with a groan, he opened his mouth and began kissing her in earnest. Her hands curled into his clothing and she held on for dear life. He was kissing her again and this wasn’t a kiss to silence her, or even a business like kiss to fool their pursuers. This was a lover’s kiss. An extraordinary and beautiful lover’s kiss. She moaned.

She was sliding down his body and he hoisted her up again. Her gasp was louder this time and she tore her mouth away from his and unwound her hands from the back of his shirt. In the shadows of their hoods she could see very little of his face, but he was panting and she could feel the heat and bulge of his erection through his pants. She was exhibiting a corresponding heat and without realising what she was doing, she began to rock against him.

They stared at one another for long moments, only the glint of their eyes visible in the dark, but they could feel, and hear and taste. Wrapped in their cloak cocoon Kathryn didn’t want this to ever end. One of her hands slid around to his front, up his chest and neck to rest on his cheek. She tried to remember all the reasons why this wasn’t a good idea, but couldn’t think of any. Her hand slid further and the next thing she knew she was pulling him towards her and kissing him. His lips were warm and soft and fit perfectly to hers. Her tongue dipped into his mouth and she was rewarded with a groan and a gentle thrust.

The fire was lit and it threatened to burn out of control. Chakotay was vaguely aware that the sound of their pursuers had stopped, but his whole world was in his arms and he didn’t want to think about what was happening outside of this paradise. He wanted to stay in this warm, dark world with Kathryn.

Her legs slid down his thighs and her feet touched the ground. Now that she was more stable on her feet, she could concentrate on this kiss. Wrapped in each other’s arms, and with their mouths locked together, they held on to one another, tasting and touching, feeling, and learning.

Her whole body was tingling as his hands moved over her back and shoulders, kneading and fondling. Her hands had found their way under his shirt and were stroking over the warm skin of his back.

There was a sound. It was familiar. There it was again. Suddenly both Kathryn and Chakotay froze. Their lips pulled away from one another’s and they parted slowly. Kathryn opened her eyes. Chakotay was staring at her and in unison; they pulled their hoods back and turned. They were standing on the transporter platform with Harry and B’Elanna staring at them. The tingling she’d felt was the transporter and the noise she’d heard was B’Elanna clearing her throat in an attempt to gain their attention. It had worked. She now had their undivided attention. B’Elanna was standing behind the controls trying desperately not to smile. Harry Kim wasn’t even bothering to hide his delight. He was grinning from ear to ear.

Kathryn took a moment. She knew that Chakotay would take his lead from her. How she reacted to this would have immense ramifications for both of them. She turned and looked at him, the arguments for and against whizzed through her mind. Again, she had trouble trying to remember why this was such a bad idea and then thought of all his kindnesses over the years, his caring and – she realised now – his love, and the decision was a simple one. Turning back to B’Elanna and Harry, she nodded her head.

“Lieutenant, Ensign. Thank you. Excellent timing. I’ll read your report in the morning, but for now, the Commander and I have some shore leave to finish. Transport us both to my quarters.”

They nodded and snapped out a delighted, “Yes, Ma’am.”

She turned to Chakotay. “Now where were we?” His eyes were wide as she pulled his hood back over his head and flipped hers over as well and wrapping her cloak around him, she pulled him close and smiling, said. “Energise.”

They materialised in the middle of her quarters and Kathryn immediately pushed her hood back and let the cloak slide from her shoulders. Reaching up she pushed his hood back and with a nod towards him, she watched as his cloak pooled on the floor at his feet. She didn’t touch him but looked at him earnestly. “Chakotay, I have to ask you this. As your commanding officer but more importantly as your friend, if this isn’t what you want, or if you have any reservations about travelling this road with me, I want you to tell… mmmph….”

His lips were on hers again. Joy surged and she took it as a no, he didn’t have any reservations.

Kathryn mumbled against his mouth. “Bathroom.”

He nodded and with their lips still locked, they stumbled and fumbled their way through Kathryn’s bedroom to the bathroom beyond. Kathryn ripped her lips away from his and groaned. “God, I don’t know how we stopped ourselves from doing this over the years.”

He was panting and laughing. “Well, some of us didn’t.”

She stroked his face lovingly. “That turned out to be an excellent tactical manoeuvre, my friend. Sometimes luck will have it. Computer run shower, usual temperature.” Her hand drifted down his neck and she began unbuttoning his shirt. He reached forward in turn and before long, they were standing before one another naked.

His eyes raked over her body then rose slowly to meet her gaze. He whispered a heartfelt. “Beautiful. Just as I imagined.”

Kathryn took a step away and gave his body a once over. “Impressive, and,” she quirked her brow, “better than I imagined.”

He grinned.

Steam was billowing from the shower stall but a heat of another sort was beginning to overtake them. Still smiling, Chakotay lifted his hand slowly and brushed the back of his fingers across Kathryn’s breasts. It was only the lightest of touches but she shivered and they watched as her nipples crinkled and hardened into tight knots. A delicious quiver began deep in her belly. She smiled at him.

Reaching out she ran the back of her fingers lightly over the downy scattering of hairs on his chest. She smiled in delight as she watched his skin tremble under her touch, and glancing down she saw his erection tighten and throb.

The quiver was becoming an ache.

Their breathing was shallow and fast, and Kathryn took a step towards him. He was still smiling, but his eyes were burning with a fire that lit a corresponding blaze within her. She could feel her whole body begin to tremble.

Reaching for her, his shaky hand wove its way into her hair and he pulled her closer. Her head dropped back and she grabbed at his shoulders to steady herself, her nails biting into his soft skin. They stared at one another for breathless moments and then with their eyes locked they closed the distance between them and their naked bodies met for the first time.

Groans were wrenched from deep within them as they melted together. Holding each other as they’d done earlier but now unhampered by clothing, the feeling was erotic and hugely arousing. He caught a glimpse of their misty reflection in the mirror. A blurry outline of dark and light, a glorious study in contrasts. In so many ways they were juxtapositions of one another but as a whole they complimented one another and their common bond of love, respect, and need melded them as one.

He held her head tight to the crook of his neck. The hard points of her nipples branded his chest, and the softness of her body moulded into his. Warm, soft and pliable.

With her head against his shoulder, she took great deep breaths of him. She could feel the firmness of muscle under warm skin, the slightly rough texture of his hands as they swept over her body and the hard hot jut of his erection as it dug into her belly.

Steam was swirling around them and a sheen of water settled over them. Flesh slid against flesh. In another reminiscent move, Chakotay lifted her into the air and with her legs wrapped around his hips; he carried her into the shower.

The hot water pummelled their bodies. The combined heat from without and within was almost too much. Kathryn slid her feet to the floor and stepped away from him. Her chest was heaving and she noticed his rapid breathing. The intensity was extraordinary. She picked up the bottle of soap, squeezed some onto her hands, and began to wash herself. Chakotay watched intently. Her hands slid over her arms, shoulders and underarms, then over her chest. She kneaded her breasts, making soapy circles around the hardened nubs. Sweeping slowly down over her abdomen, her hand drifted down to her mound and with her legs slightly parted, she moved her hand over her mons and through her folds.

Chakotay reached for the soap and mirrored her movements. His hands stroked over his arms and neck, his chest and abdomen and then down to his groin where he placed his hand over his erection and began to stroke. They moved in rhythm, their hands moving in unison. Chakotay’s eyes were riveted to the hypnotic movement of her hand and her pupils dilated as she watched the erotic dance of his hand over his hard shaft. She could feel the quiver intensify and the flush of her impending orgasm sweep up her neck. Her panting breaths sounded loud in the confines of the shower stall and Chakotay’s grunted replies echoed through the bathroom.

He reached forward and took her other hand, placing it over his. She met his eyes for a brief moment and watched as his eyes closed at her touch. She took a step closer as his other hand drifted downwards and covered hers as she stroked over her aroused flesh. Her head rested against his chest, her forehead pressing into his sternum as her climax teetered. She felt him tighten and pulse in her hand. Both their gasps caught and Kathryn stilled. Her hand pulled away and grabbed his shoulder as his hand pushed hard against her. Her body shook and her legs wobbled as she moaned. “I’m coming, oh, God.” He could feel the spasm of her inner muscles and her plaintive cry tipped him over the edge. He pulled her against him as he came in thrusting spurts between their bodies.

After a few moments, but still gripping his shoulders, Kathryn pulled back and smiled at her lover. “Oh my.”

He grinned and they stepped under the water to rinse their bodies. He leant through the cascading water and kissed her sweetly. “Oh my, indeed.” His hands travelled over her body in gentle loving caresses.

She laid her head on his chest. “Computer, shower off. Let’s go to bed.”

They spilled out of the cubicle and Chakotay took one of the towels and wrapped it around his waist. He took another towel and began to dry Kathryn. He started with her shoulders and worked his way down her body. Kneeling in front of her, he kissed her mons, his tongue flicking out to taste her quickly. She sucked in a breath and pulling on his arm, and hauled him to his feet.

“Bed. Now.”

He pulled her to him and kissed her hard. “Now?”

She nodded. “Now.”

They stumbled from the bathroom and collapsed onto the bed in a tangle of writhing limbs.

Some time later Kathryn lay on top of Chakotay and kissed him soundly. “I love you. I haven’t told you yet, but I hope you know.”

He grinned. “I had an inkling. I love you too, with all my heart. This will be a good life, Kathryn. It won’t be easy, but it will be good.”

“You realise that all the crew will know by now. Are you ready to cope with the fall out from that, because don’t kid yourself, there will be some.”

“I think you’ll be surprised, Kathryn. I’m sure the crew will take it in their stride like they do every other change in circumstance that they’ve had to deal with over the years. This is a change for the better. The fallout will be minimal, if any. My concern is Starfleet. What do you think their reaction will be?”

Kathryn shrugged. “I’m sure they’ll understand. We have a lifetime to live out here, Chakotay, and to be honest, I don’t really care what they think.”

He looked at her, surprised. “Really?”

Again, she shrugged. “Well, yes and no. The people who matter most and who know me well will understand that I haven’t entered into this lightly. The others….” Her fingers stroked over the lines of his tattoo, down his cheek and over his lips. “The others, I don’t give a damn about. I love you and nothing is going to stop me from telling you and showing you.”

“I knew that your stubborn streak would work in our favour one day.” She was wriggling on him and their arousal was beginning to spiral again.

“Come here.” He rolled her under him and kissed her soundly. Her laughter soon turned to moans, as they loved long into the night.

* * *

They stood outside the Mess hall, and looking at one another, they each took a deep breath. Chakotay gripped her elbow and with a nod they stepped forward and triggered the doors.

It was like a replay of their entrance into the bar on Rhangora. All chatter and noise stopped and everyone turned to look at them. It was unnerving until someone started clapping, then more and more hands joined the fray until the whole mess hall were standing and applauding. Chakotay turned to Kathryn and smiled. She looked at all the happy faces of her crew and smiled in reply. She took a deep breath and moved slightly closer to Chakotay. He reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. After a moment, the applause faded and everyone resumed their meals.

Neelix came bounding over to them. “Good afternoon, Captain and Commander. I hear congratulations are in order.” He was bouncing around them like a giant puppy, clearly very excited and they both gave him a smile.

“Thank you, Neelix. I see the word has spread.”

“Like wildfire, Captain. Like wildfire. And what wonderful news it is. The crew are so happy.”

Kathryn scanned the mess hall. All eyes were on them and everyone was smiling. She took heart. Perhaps this wasn’t going to be as difficult as she imagined.

Chakotay steered the conversation away from them to Neelix’s next favourite subject. Food. “What have you got for lunch today, Neelix?”

“Well, Commander, you’ll be delighted to know that the vegetarian dish of the day is Leola and schplict soufflé, which I know is one of your favourites and Captain, the Rhangorans were generous enough to offer us a vast array of their livestock. Today we’re having roasted Rhangoran chicken.”

Kathryn and Chakotay snapped a look at one another. It couldn’t be, surely. “Um, Neelix. What do the chickens look like?”

“I’ve only seen one live one, but they were about the size of a Terran chicken, grey coloured and very noisy.”

Kathryn shook her head. She couldn’t do it. As much as the killer chicken had deserved it, she couldn’t eat one. That noisy avian assassin was the reason why they’d left the transport and had their adventure. If it hadn’t been for that bird, they wouldn’t be where they were now. With that in mind and with great self sacrifice, she did the only think she could think to do. “Neelix, you know, as delicious as that sounds, I think I’ll have the Leola soufflé with the Commander.” Inwardly she groaned. Her taste buds wouldn’t forgive her for this. She could feel Chakotay’s body straining with suppressed laughter as Neelix handed them their plates. The acrid aroma of Leola root mixed with the sour smell of schplict assaulted their nostrils and they walked slowly to their table.

They bravely swallowed several mouthfuls before they pushed their plates aside. “I wish I’d brought the bread and fruit flan back with us. We could have sneaked off and eaten it now.”

“What happened to it?”

“I left it in the bar.” She laughed. “I hope one of our drunken friends is enjoying it.” Kathryn looked sadly at her plate.

“Captain, Chakotay, do you mind if we join you?”

Kathryn looked up to find B’Elanna and Tom standing by their table. She smiled and indicated the seat beside her. “No, not at all. Please.”

Tom was grinning broadly. “Congratulations Captain, Commander. As you heard the whole crew is very happy for you.” He sat next to Chakotay.

Chakotay nodded.

Kathryn scanned the room briefly. “Yes, everyone seems to be taking the news well. I’m pleased.”

“Surely you didn’t doubt us, did you, Captain? We only want you to be happy.”

Kathryn looked at her troublesome helmsman, expecting to see a supercilious smile, but his look was sincere and she reached across the table and patted his hand. “Thank you, Tom. I’m very happy.” She smiled at Chakotay.

Tom slapped Chakotay on the back. “Congratulations. This is what I call the ultimate melding of the crews.”

Chakotay looked at him sideways. “Watch it, Paris. I’m not past throwing you in the brig if you push it. I’d tread carefully if I were you.”

“Aye, Sir.” Tom couldn’t help smiling and Chakotay’s mouth twisted into a grin.

B’Elanna turned to Kathryn. “Captain, what happened on the planet? We tried to contact you and our hails were answered by a series of intoxicated Rhangorans who thought they were talking to one of their Gods. Some of us…” She looked pointedly at Tom. “…took that joke a little too far, but in the end we figured that you’d lost your combadges somehow.”

Tom snorted. “Yeah, at first we thought you must have been having a _really_ good time. Everyone we spoke to was drunk and it sounded like some party, but when we beamed the combadges up without either of you attached, we realised something must have gone wrong.”

Chakotay communicated silently with Kathryn and she gave an almost imperceptible nod. He gave a brief recount of what had happened. “We had our packs stolen on the beginning of the second day and we were searching for some way to contact Voyager. Unfortunately the town we were in had no modern conveniences, and some of the local Rhangorans turned out to be less than hospitable.”

Tom and B’Elanna were looking amazed. Kathryn gave Chakotay a wry grin. “I think someone called it ‘immersing ourselves in the culture.’ We got so immersed we finished up running for our lives.”

He gave her a bland look. “We were hiding from an angry mob when you beamed us up. Nice timing by the way, B’El.”

“Anytime, Old Man.”

Tom nodded. “That was some kind of hiding… Ouch!” Tom looked at B’Elanna. She glared at him.

Kathryn just rolled her eyes. “Well, we’re due on duty and I think you’ve someplace to be too. Don’t you, Mr Paris?”

“Yes, Ma’am. I’ll see you on the bridge.” He leaned over and kissed B’Elanna. “Bye, B’E.”

The three officers exited the mess hall and made their way to the bridge.

An hour later, all those on shore leave had returned from the planet, the last few stragglers having beamed aboard minutes before. The ship was stocked and ready to resume its journey. Kathryn and Chakotay were sitting in their command chairs going over the last minute preparations.

“Captain.” Kathryn turned to Harry. “The Rhangoran Ambassador is hailing.”

“On screen, Harry.” Kathryn stood and Chakotay followed. They stood side by side as the viewscreen filled with the face of the Ambassador. “Ambassador Nevvik, I’m pleased to have the opportunity to say goodbye and thank you for your hospitality.”

“You’re most welcome, Captain Janeway. I’m pleased to have played host to you and your crew. Rumour has it though that you and your Commander ran into some trouble in Pehringal. Is this true?”

Kathryn looked sideways at Chakotay. “We had a few moments of bother, but nothing we couldn’t handle.”

“I’m pleased to hear that. Some of your belongings were found. I’m sending the co-ordinates and you can arrange for their return.”

Chakotay turned and nodded at Harry. He beamed their packs aboard as Kathryn continued talking. “Thank you, Ambassador. We are most grateful. Losing our belongings was part of our problem.”

The Ambassador looked at her with a twinkle in his eye. “It seems you managed well enough without them. Subsequent to your visit to Pehringal a new craze is sweeping the town.”

Kathryn frowned and looked worriedly at Chakotay. “I certainly hope we haven’t caused any problems, Ambassador. Whatever it is, it was purely unintentional. We would be happy to make any reparations that you deem necessary.”

Nevvik smiled and shook his head. “You misunderstand, Captain. We are not averse to change and this new fashion I think you will find amusing.”

Kathryn relaxed a little but still looked perplexed. “Ambassador?”

“Perhaps it will be simpler if I showed you. Here are some images from Pehringal this morning. You will understand when you see them.”

The Ambassador’s face disappeared and the screen was filled with several smiling Rhangoran faces all sporting a fine example of the Janeway bob. There were several images of different men and women and each of them had the exact same shoulder length hairstyle. Everyone on the bridge stared in shock. Kathryn stared in horror.

The Ambassador’s face reappeared. “As you can see, Captain, you’ve made a lasting impression.”

“I don’t know what to say, Ambassador.”

Smiling broadly, he waved his hand in dismissal. “Do not concern yourself, Captain. I think they all look rather fetching.”

Kathryn blinked slowly and tried, without much success, to stop a blush from suffusing her face. She would never have considered this outcome, but that was pretty much par for the course for her over the last few years.

She forced a smile. “Thank you, Ambassador, and I apologise. It’s not something that I …”

The Ambassador interrupted. “Captain, please don’t concern yourself. It is just our way. If we find something that we like, we embrace it. You should consider it a compliment.”

Kathryn smiled diplomatically. “Well, thank you, Ambassador. I’m honoured.”

He laughed. “Captain, may you and your crew travel safely. You will be remembered here on Rhangora. Good journey.”

“Farewell, Ambassador, and thank you.”

The screen reverted to the planet of Rhangora spinning slowly below. There was total silence on the bridge but she could see Tom Paris’s shoulders shuddering slightly. Then there was a snort from behind and she closed her eyes. Slowly her face relaxed and a smile softened her features. She opened her eyes and looked at Chakotay. He shrugged. “It looks better on you, if that’s any consolation.”

She barked out a laugh. “No. It’s not.”

That was it. The entire bridge crew collapsed into gales of laughter. Kathryn couldn’t help but join the fray. What a legacy.

After the laughter had settled, Kathryn took her seat and spoke to no one in particular. “I wonder what Starfleet will make of that. It has ‘Prime Directive violation’ written all over it.”

Tuvok spoke up from tactical. “I have saved the images in a file named ‘Rhangora-coiffure.’”

Kathryn turned. “Why thank you, Tuvok. That’s very helpful. Always thinking ahead.”

“I think that you mean ‘a hair’, Captain.”

She swung back and stared at the Vulcan as did most of the bridge staff. “Did you…?” She turned back to the view screen and shook her head. “Oh, never mind.” Then she mumbled under her breath. “Everyone’s a comic.”

Chakotay reached over and patted her hand. She smiled at him and then sat up straighter in her chair. “Tom? If you can see the controls through your tears, let’s get back on the road. Full impulse and when we’re clear of the planet, warp six.”

“Aye, Captain.”

“Engage.”

With smiles on their faces, the crew watched the planet swing out of view and the stars ahead beckon. In a flash of light Voyager shot forward, once more heading for home.

_fin_


End file.
